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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24473908">Art/Words: It started with a cabbage!</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LFB72/pseuds/LFB72'>LFB72</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>LFB72's Drabble Series [24]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Art, Dandelions, Flowers, Gift Giving, Humor, M/M, Misunderstandings, Modern Era, Rabbits, Traditional Media, Vegetables, Watercolors, cakes, happy endings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 02:28:14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,305</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24473908</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LFB72/pseuds/LFB72</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>At a time of crisis, Arthur is presented with an unexpected gift and does all he can to discover the identity of his mysterious benefactor.<br/>A little illustrated dabble</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>LFB72's Drabble Series [24]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1010229</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>91</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Art/Words: It started with a cabbage!</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/Camelittle/gifts">Camelittle</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>To the wonderful Camelitte this is a little something for your birthday.<br/>Many thanks to my good friends Merls, Wasp and Clea  who helped to come up with ideas and inspired this little drabble based very loosely on current events and your recent endeavours.<br/>I've not done very much lately so I hope you enjoy it and it brings a smile to your face.<br/>Clea2011 and Tari_Sue also helped sort out the various errors and typos - if there are any missed it's all down to me</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p> </p>
<p>
  <strong> <a href="https://imgur.com/brdYlvy">  </a> </strong>
</p>
<p>
  <strong>Art/Words: It started with a cabbage:</strong>
</p>
<p>Arthur cursed when he heard the bell go. He was at a critical stage and didn’t want to stop but nor could he focus on what he was doing without knowing who was at the door. He contemplated not answering, but it could be important; and what with all the social distancing nobody rang anymore unless it was an emergency.</p>
<p>He hastily wiped his hands and jogged towards the hall. He had to remove the deadlock (had he really not been out all day?) and with a forceful tug, eventually got the door open. </p>
<p>There was no one there! He ventured onto the step and peered down the street in both directions but it was empty.</p>
<p><em>‘Bloody kids!’</em> he said to himself shaking his head and turning to go back inside. That’s when he saw it:</p>
<p>A large savoy cabbage.</p>
<p>Arthur tentatively approached the vegetable as if it was an old fashioned bomb. He bent down slowly and picked it up, rotating it gently in his hands; it was heavy and freshly cut. <em> How very odd </em>. Arthur scanned the street again but there was nothing. Perplexed, he closed the door slowly and returned to his work.</p>
<p>The next day there was a cauliflower. The day after that some tomatoes and kale. Next came carrots and on Friday when Arthur flung open the door, it was to be greeted by a solitary bunch of dandelions.</p>
<p>This was getting ridiculous! He had no idea who was leaving these things on his doorstep. No matter how quickly he shot to the door (and Arthur had got it down to under ten seconds) he wasn’t fast enough, there was nobody there. </p>
<p>Arthur would have to do the only thing a Pendragon could do, take action.</p>
<p>
  <a href="https://imgur.com/EfpLb2M">  </a>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Arthur walked down the street with a box under his arm and took the time to peer into all the gardens. His senses were assaulted by the sounds of bees and lawnmowers, the warm sun bathed his skin and the scent of flowers and cut grass filled his nostrils. An explosion of colours met his eyes; it seemed everyone in lockdown had become greenfingered and the huge variety of plants and shrubs framing windows and pathways was simply stunning.</p>
<p>Arthur paused by number seventy-two which had a new resident who had only moved in a few weeks ago. The man was on his knees, hands buried in earth, backside in the air. Arthur was momentarily distracted by the pull of fabric over the man’s firm round buttocks. Averting his gaze to the garden Arthur realised this was not the same as the others in the street. In place of a lawn and beds of flowers and shrubs there were rows of vegetables: not just any veggies but an array of carrots, cabbages, cauliflowers and dandelions.  </p>
<p>“You!” </p>
<p>The man jumped and dropped his trowel. His head whipped around and he had to shake  a mop of black hair, from startling blue eyes. He had full lips and incredibly high cheekbones which were adorned with dabs of mud.</p>
<p>Arthur’s mouth went dry.</p>
<p>The man beamed.“Hello.”</p>
<p>Having been deprived of social contact for so long, Arthur’s brain went blank. “You’re the one who’s been leaving weeds on my doorstep,” he blurted out.</p>
<p>The man stood up slowly, he was tall and slender.  “Weeds! Dandelions have many health benefits; you can even eat them in salads,” he snapped.</p>
<p>“What do you think I am, a rabbit?” Arthur replied without thinking</p>
<p>The man’s hands formed fists, and those beautiful blue eyes seemed to spark. “Not yet!”</p>
<p>“I beg your pardon?” Arthur said, taken aback by how quickly clouds had obscured the sun.</p>
<p>“I said, you ungrateful git!”</p>
<p>Arthur stared for a moment. The man looked quite sexy when he was angry. He also looked quite hurt and Arthur had to concede what he’d said might have sounded a bit rude. Which was not what he had intended when he’d ventured out that afternoon intent on discovering the identity of his mystery vegetable benefactor.</p>
<p>Arthur cleared his throat and looked down. “I’m sorry!” he said. “I didn't mean it like that. It was very kind.” Arthur ducked behind the fence and produced the small white cardboard box he’d been carrying. “Here.”  </p>
<p>The man hesitated then wiped his hands on the front of his trousers and reached over the barrier to receive the box. He looked down at the lid.</p>
<p>“Compliments of Arthur Pendragon.” he read out loud.</p>
<p>Arthur shifted from foot to foot uncomfortably. “See, I really did want to say thank you to whoever it was that has been leaving all that stuff.” Arthur continued eyeing the man cautiously, trying to gauge his reaction.</p>
<p>The man opened the box and smiled. His eyes crinkled into crescents and a dimple appeared on his cheek. </p>
<p>“I’m a confectioner.” Arthur declared, “I bake.”</p>
<p>“So I see! Thank you!” He looked directly at Arthur, “I’m Merlin, by the way.”</p>
<p>“Arthur.” </p>
<p>Merlin tapped the box, “I know.  Well, Arthur Pendragon, I guess I’d better taste this hadn't I?”</p>
<p>Arthur couldn’t stop the gasp of horror as he looked at Merlin’s long filthy fingers.</p>
<p>Merlin merely tutted and shook his head, fishing some alcohol gel out his pocket. “What do you take me for, some kind of heathen?” he said and squirted the clear liquid onto his hands and rubbed away the visible dirt. Once dry he stuck his finger into the icing on top of the cake and popped it into his mouth. Merlin closed his eyes and humed contentedly</p>
<p>Arthur tried not to think impure thoughts and kicked at his heels. He worried at his lower lip with his teeth. “It’s carrot cake, I hope that’s alright... I used your carrots” He added needlessly. </p>
<p>“It’s perfect!” Merlin managed through a mouthful of crumbs, he swallowed and raised an eyebrow, “Are you sure you're not a rabbit?”</p>
<p>“Quite sure,” Arthur laughed, delighted that Merlin seemed to like his gift. He watched in awe as Merlin devoured the rest of the cake in seconds. Shaking his head Arthur enquired. “Why did you do it?”</p>
<p>“Leave the veggies?”</p>
<p>Arthur nodded.</p>
<p>“I work in the hospital, it’s been hard. Every Thursday night, during clap for key-workers I heard you playing that horn and... well, it means a lot, you know?” He shrugged, “I wanted to do something in return”.</p>
<p>Arthur didn't know what to say, “My sister’s a doctor,” he offered, feeling himself welling up. Desperate to change the subject he added “you don’t really eat dandelions, do you?”</p>
<p>Merlin sighed, he looked a bit sheepish. “Well, you can… but it was more my way of subtly telling you I like you.” </p>
<p>“You ran away!”</p>
<p>“Nobody said I was brave.”</p>
<p>“You're wrong, Merlin, I think you're one of the bravest people I know,” Arthur said sincerely. “You can give me dandelions any time you want.”</p>
<p>“Really?” Merlin snorted, bending down he plucked a few of the yellow flowers out the ground and handed them to Arthur. “There you go.”</p>
<p>
  <a href="https://imgur.com/yYyitnT">  </a>
</p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p>“Thank you.” Arthur held the little bundle tight to his chest. You know perhaps when all this social distancing is over, you can come over and I’ll play for you.”</p>
<p>“I’d like that.”</p>
<p>“So would I.”</p>
<p>Arthur’s watch started beeping, “Damn! That’s my bakewell tart! I’m sorry, I've got to go!” He turned and started sprinting up the road.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <a href="https://imgur.com/EfpLb2M">  </a>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The next day, Arthur opened his door to find a box overflowing with fresh produce from Merlin’s garden and a bunch of dandelions with a note attached saying, ‘be creative!’</p>
<p>A few hours later Merlin’s step had a box containing a cake and a note, ‘Chocolate and beetroot creative enough for you?’ There was also a fancy invitation to a private soiree with Arthur Pendragon, ‘french horn player extraordinaire’.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <a href="https://imgur.com/8Q1CHmY">  </a>
</p>
<p>THE  END </p>
<p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p>
<p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thanks for taking a peek I hope you like what you saw. So this is set currently and reflects our current situation with the pandemic and lock down and whatnot but hopefully not in a way that anyone would find distressing. It's supposed to be a little light-hearted and fun despite these trying times we are all living in.<br/>Take care everyone and stay safe</p></blockquote></div></div>
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